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Between selecting a CMA testing window and scheduling your testing appointment, selecting a CMA testing date can be stressful. Let us walk you through the process of selecting a testing window, registering for your chosen window, and booking your CMA exam testing appointment.
The CMA exam is offered in three two-month testing periods each year. The testing periods are:
January – February
May – June
September – October
You can register for a testing window until the 15th of the last month in that period:
February 15th
June 15th
October 15th
This page covers how to schedule the CMA exam, including how to register for a CMA testing window. If you’re looking for information on how to join IMA or the CMA program, see our applying for the CMA exam resource page.
In order to make a CMA exam appointment, you will need to register for a CMA testing window, pay CMA exam fees, select a Prometric testing center, schedule the CMA exam appointment, and confirm your appointment. This may seem like a lot of steps, but most of them naturally blend into eachother.
We’ll walk you through each of these steps throughout this page and provide you with some helpful tips to keep in mind.
Once you have joined IMA and enrolled in the CMA program, you will be eligible to register for the CMA exam. Registering for the CMA exam involves paying your CMA exam fees and selecting a testing window to take your exam.
NOTE: You will not be able to reschedule your CMA exam outside of the testing window you select without forfeiting your fees. In other words, while you can change the exam appointment later on, your exam registration is only valid for the testing window in which you registered. You will have to register for the CMA exam again if you are unable to sit for the exam in the window you originally registered for.
Go to the IMA’s CMA website.
Assuming you’ve already enrolled in IMA, log into your IMA account.
Select a CMA testing window.
Pay for your CMA testing window registration.
Before you schedule an appointment to sit for the CMA exam, you will need to find a testing center. Prometric has thousands of testing centers spread throughout the world, so most candidates should be able to find a testing center located at a convenient location. To find a CMA exam testing center, you’ll need to use Prometric’s testing center search feature.
If you visit the ICMA section of Prometric’s website, you will find a tool allowing you to search for testing centers by city, country, or zip code.
You do not need to select a testing center before you choose your testing dates. If you need to pass by a particular date, start by selecting your testing date and find a center that matches your needs. If you already have a testing date in mind, you can make use of Prometric’s seat availability tool when selecting a testing center.
From the Prometric landing page, click “Seat Availability Tool” and select a country and state. Clicking on the “Search for Availability” icon will allow you to select an exam part and testing center. Finally, clicking on “Availability” will take you to a calendar that displays the available dates and testing times.
The best way to schedule your exam is through the Prometric website.
You will need the following information to schedule the CMA exam:
NOTE: You must have registered for your examination(s) with ICMA and received your authorization to test letter prior to scheduling your testing appointment.
Follow these steps to schedule your CMA exam online:
Go to Prometric’s ICMA website.
Click the “Schedule” button on the left-hand margin.
Select the country and state (if applicable) where you will take the exam.
Read the information provided and click “Next.”
Read the policy information, confirm the statement provided, choose to consent to the policy, and click “Next.”
Enter your exam authorization number and the first four letters of your last name and click “Next.”
Follow the provided instructions to select your testing location and click “Schedule an Appointment.”
Read the provided information on biometric collection and disclosure, indicate your option, and click “Next.”
Click “Complete Registration.”
Prometric believes that “familiarizing yourself with the look and feel of the computer-based testing environment in advance of your exam will minimize pre-test mistakes,” and Gleim agrees! It’s a great idea to take the Prometric Test Drive before you sit for the CMA exam.
NOTE: The Gleim CMA Review System includes an Exam Rehearsal that will completely prepare you for the look, feel, interface, and length of the CMA exam. However, it does not replace the Prometric Test Drive.
The Prometric Test Drive is a $30 service that involves a 30-minute, real-world practice run of the test center experience at your chosen testing site. Physically visiting your testing center beforehand will provide you peace of mind on exam day. During your test drive, you’ll save exam-day stress by:
To schedule a Prometric Test Drive, you’ll follow the same steps as scheduling an exam:
Go to Prometric’s website.
Select a testing center.
Fill out the required applicant information.
Pay the $30 fee for the test drive.
Confirm the appointment.
During your test drive, you’ll go through all of the testing procedures that you will have to undergo on exam day. These procedures include the following:
If you need to change or cancel a testing appointment after you’ve scheduled it, you must notify Prometric.
Appointments may be altered using the Reschedule/Cancel option on the Prometric website, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You will need the confirmation number from your original appointment in order to reschedule or cancel your appointment. Make sure you follow all instructions. If you don’t, your reschedule or cancel request may not go through.
You may be required to pay a rescheduling fee or even forfeit your examination fee depending on when you notify Prometric. There is no fee if you contact Prometric to reschedule 31 or more days in advance. You will be charged a $50 fee if you reschedule within 3 to 30 days of the testing date. Rescheduling less than 3 days before the testing date will result in the full testing fee to be forfeited.
NOTE: If you need to reschedule your exam for another testing window, you will forfeit your exam registration fee.
Prometric offers a wide variety of testing accommodations for qualified people. These include everything from adjustable desks for back injuries to text-to-speech software for the hearing impaired. Not all accommodations are available at all testing centers.
To request special accommodations, you will need to notify the ICMA at least two months prior to when you plan to sit for the CMA exam and before you have scheduled a CMA exam appointment.
ICMA Contact Information:
You will also need to notify the Prometric testing center, but the ICMA must approve your testing accommodations prior to you requesting them from Prometric.
For additional information on Prometric’s testing accommodations, including the form needed to inform Prometric of approved testing accommodations, visit their website.
Candidates with special testing accommodations cannot schedule or reschedule their exam on Prometric’s website. They must call the Candidate Services Call Center (1-800-580-9648).
Candidates with special testing accommodations must schedule at least 10 days in advance of their testing date.
The CMA exam is offered during specific testing windows throughout the year, which means you’ll need to select a testing window that works best for you. There are two tactics most candidates employ when choosing a CMA testing window:
After joining the ICMA’s CMA program, some candidates register for their testing window immediately. This option has it’s own pros and cons.
NOTE: This is the method Gleim recommends to most candidates.
Waiting to schedule your exam until you are prepared for the exam also offers unique pros and cons.
Deciding on your exam day can be tricky. You need to balance choosing a day early enough to ensure you’ll actually have a seat on exam day with making sure your preparations will be complete prior to sitting for the CMA exam.
Determine your study schedule – How many hours can you dedicate to studying every week? Will there be any significant fluctuations in this number due to holidays, busy season, or other life concerns?
Write out your schedule on a calendar – Decide how many hours you’ll study each day and write it down. Plan for a few catch up days so you don’t fall behind and struggle to catch up.
Determine when you’ll be finished preparing – Everyone will have slightly different study needs, but on average, candidates spend about 150 hours studying for Part 1 and 110 studying for Part 2.
Find the testing window after your preparations will be complete – If you plan to be finished studying during a testing window, be careful about choosing a testing date at the end of a window. This will make rescheduling especially difficult if your study estimates are off.
Pick a testing date – An ideal testing date will be near the beginning of a testing window. This will alleviate stress because you’ll be more likely to reschedule your exam if something comes up.
Discuss your plan with an exam expert – Walking through your plan with an exam expert will help ensure you’re not missing anything. For example, Gleim Personal Counselors help thousands of candidates plan for their exams each testing window.
Register for your testing window and make your appointment – Remember, as long as you reschedule your exam within the same testing window and 31 days in advance, you won’t need to pay a fee to reschedule your appointment. Be sure to note the day and time of your testing appointment and the last day you can reschedule your exam (31 days before exam day for no fee; at least 3 days in advance for a $50 fee) on a calendar.
We recommend most CMA candidates take Part 1 on the CMA exam first. Part 1 of the CMA exam can provide you with the foundational knowledge required to study for Part 2. This will help you maximize your study time and learn all of the exam content efficiently.
The exceptions to this rule are candidates with a strong background in finance and students who want to sit for the CMA exam during college.